Specialist Know-How: Hardwood loadbearing structures
Indigenous hardwood is used mainly for interior fittings in today's construction industry. Historic structures show that this was not always the case. For example, some types of hardwood, in particular oak, were used in roof trusses and beam and post framed structures because of their durability and high strength (Fig. A). Hardwoods currently play a somewhat marginal role in timber construction. At the moment, engineers working to Eurocode 5 may design with five hardwood types (ash, beech, maple, oak and poplar) and use them as solid wood.
